DIAL M FOR MURDER Comes to Asolo Rep Next Month

Asolo Repertory Theatre will present a rendition of the classic thriller, DIAL M FOR MURDER, an intense cat-and-mouse game directed by Céline Rosenthal. Frederick Knott's classic thriller of blackmail and revenge, the basis for Alfred Hitchcock's iconic movie, is given a stylish, intoxicating update in Jeffrey Hatcher's brand-new adaptation. Previews begin on March 20, opens on March 22, and runs through April 25, 2024, in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

Hang on to the edge of your seat through the twists and turns of DIAL M FOR MURDER. Set in 1950s London, a husband plots to murder his wife, but when his plan goes awry, he must scramble to keep from getting caught. Will he get away with it, or will justice be served? Only one way to find out.

Leading the production of DIAL M FOR MURDER, director Rosenthal expresses admiration for Hatcher's reimagining of the classic thriller. “What's most ingenious about Jeffrey's adaptation is that it takes the central female protagonist, originally a classic damsel-in-distress, and endows her with greater depth and agency--and even though we have preserved the 1950s setting, the story is so prescient that feels like it could be today. I find it empowering, validating, funny, and surprisingly relevant.”

Rosenthal, is a Tony-nominated producer and proud member of The Ring Of Keys, as well as a New Georges Affiliate Artist. At Asolo Rep, they've directed a diverse array of productions including Grand Horizons, The Incident At Our Lady Of Perpetual Help, The Lifespan of a Fact, and Camelot, as well as overseeing educational tours of Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest. Additionally, they served as assistant director to Frank Galati on Knoxville. Their dedication to new work is evident through collaborations with NYMF, New Georges, MTF, Kidoons, and National Queer Theatre. They also lead Asolo Rep's new work series, The Ground Floor. Notable recent projects include In The Next Room, Angel Street, A Doll's House, and Spike Heels at Studio Theatre, Trayf at New Rep, and Drowning in Cairo with N.Q.T. Their creative repertoire extends beyond the stage to include the award-winning short film Wildflower. Rosenthal's expertise is further enriched by their alumni status at CTI and BMI Lehman Engel Workshop.

The cast features Tony Carter as Tony Wendice, Brooke Turner as Margot Wendice, and Zia Lawrence as Maxine Hadley. Carter is excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut! While he's based in Chicago, he loves bouncing around the country for work. Some of his favorite credits include Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast (Drury Lane Theatre), Chris in The Play That Goes Wrong (Oregon Cabaret Theatre), Freddy in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Actors Theatre of Indiana), and Oliver in As You Like it (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre & Milwaukee Rep). He's also proud to have worked at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, PCPA: Pacific Conservatory Theatre, Chicago Children's Theatre, and Utah Festival Opera.

Turner is an FSU/Asolo M.F.A. candidate and intimacy director from Cleveland, OH, where she earned her B.F.A. in Classical Acting from Baldwin Wallace University. Some previous credits include Inherit the Wind (Mrs. McLain) and Our Town (Wally U/S) at Asolo Rep, Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth U/S) and Misery (Annie U/S) at Great Lakes Theatre, and Richard III (Lady Anne) with The Idaho Shakespeare Festival.

Lawrence is thrilled to be making their Asolo Rep Debut. Credits Include: Alls Well That Ends Well, Cymbeline, Pipeline, Cloud Nine. Off Broadway: Where the Men Work (Prague Fringe Festival) 42nd Annual Harriet Holland (New Georges) Film: Gossip Girl (HBO) Proud NYU Grad Acting alum. She thanks her family endlessly for always being down to love and make art.  

Rounding out the cast are Mark Benninghofen (Inspector Hubbard), Mikhail Roberts (Lesgate), Christina Mei Chen (U/S Maxine Hadley), Alex Hatcher (U/S Tony Wendice), Billy Lyons (U/S Inspector Hubbard), Sharon Pearlman (U/S Margot Wendice), Jackson Purdy (U/S Lesgate). 

The creative team features Céline Rosenthal (Director & Resident Casting Director), Antonio Troy Ferron (Scenic Design), Tracy Dorman (Costume Design), James E. Lawlor III (Lighting Design), Sharath Patel (Sound Design), Robert Elhai (Original Music Compositions), Michelle Hart (Hair, Wig, and Makeup Design), Mark Rose (Fight Choreographer), Summer Dawn Wallace (Intimacy Consultant), Patricia Delorey (Voice & Dialect Coach), DeWanda Smith Soeder (Cultural Competency Consultant), Drayton Alexander (Dramaturg), Claire Simon Casting (Chicago Casting), Murnane Casting, Chad Eric Murnane, CSA (New York Casting), Nia Sciarretta* (Production Stage Manager) Kristin Loughry* (Assistant Stage Manager).

Don't miss your chance to experience the suspense, drama, and intrigue of DIAL M FOR MURDER on stage at Asolo Rep from March 20 through April 25, 2024. Previews are March 20 and March 21, with opening night March 22, 2024. Visit asolorep.org for a full performance schedule. Tickets start at $35 and are available now in person at Asolo Rep's Box Office at 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, by phone at 941.351.8000 or 800.361.8388, or online at asolorep.org

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